Healey visits Cyprus for talks as Middle East crisis deepens

British forces based in Cyprus would play a leading role in any evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon.

Defence Secretary John Healey (right) ahead of a bilateral meeting with Minister of Defence for Cyprus, Vasilis Palmas at the Ministry of Defence in Nicosia, Cyprus. Picture date: Wednesday October 2, 2024. (PA Wire)

Defence Secretary John Healey is in Cyprus as the Government steps up efforts for a potential evacuation of Lebanon with the Middle East teetering on the brink of wider war.

Mr Healey confirmed British forces were involved in efforts to defend Israel from Iran’s ballistic missile barrage as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned of the risk of a “miscalculation” after the escalation of violence in the region.

It is understood RAF jets were involved in the efforts to intercept the Iranian missiles targeted at Iran.

The operation was similar to the role carried out by the UK’s forces when Iran launched a drone and cruise missile barrage at Israel in April, when RAF Typhoons were involved in the defensive effort.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Mr Healey confirmed “British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East”.

Hundreds of British troops have been deployed to Cyprus alongside RAF and Royal Navy assets in the region in preparation for a potential evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon following the launch of Israel’s ground offensive.

On Wednesday, Mr Healey met Cypriot counterpart Vasilis Palmas for talks about the crisis.

Israel said it intercepted many of the missiles fired by Iran on Tuesday, while Tehran claimed most had hit their targets. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

In a Downing Street statement on the crisis, Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply concerned that the region is on the brink and I am deeply concerned about the risk of miscalculation”.

He said that Iran, with proxies including Hezbollah in Lebanon, had “menaced the Middle East for far too long”.

Countries around the world are waiting to see how Israel responds to the Iranian attack amid concerns it could trigger spiralling regional conflict.

Britons fleeing Lebanon were set to board a UK Government-chartered flight to safety on Wednesday, at a cost of £350 a seat.

A separate scheduled Middle East Airlines service to Heathrow also departed Beirut’s airport.

But there are concerns in Whitehall that further military activity by Israel could result in the closure of the airport, cutting off the most straightforward exit route for the estimated 4-6,000 British nationals in Lebanon.

If that happens the only option could be a military-facilitated evacuation co-ordinated from the British bases in Cyprus.

On Wednesday, Israel warned people to evacuate another 24 villages across southern Lebanon as part of its ground campaign against Hezbollah.

In a separate development, Hezbollah said its fighters had forced Israeli troops to retreat after clashes in the Lebanese border town of Odaisseh.

Iran said it launched Tuesday’s strikes in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week.

The latest developments came as Jewish people marked Rosh Hashanah, the start of the new year.

In a social media message, Sir Keir said: “Rosh Hashanah is a joyous occasion. But this year, we approach it with anguish too as we remember the brutal acts of October 7 and, in more recent days, the deeply concerning escalation in the Middle East.

“As we hold those who lost their lives in our memory, my Government will do all we can to bring home the hostages.”